8 signs you and your partner are ready for marriage

Being in love is a beautiful feeling. It makes you feel on top of the world. It is one of those feelings that is so delightful that it can be easy to forget everything else. It can be easy to be focused on just the love you have for your partner without considering if you are going to be right for each other long term.

Most couples who fall in love end up getting married, however, some couples simply don’t. They just can’t make things work. If you and your partner have been together for a while, you may be thinking about tying the knot. If you are, here are the 8 signs to look for to know if you and your partner are ready for marriage.

You can keep something alive

We’ve all been in this situation with our partner, haven’t we? You see lots of succulents on Instagram and suddenly you want to raise a succulent family as a team. Or you see an adorable puppy that needs adopting from your local pet rescue and you decide you’re ready for the commitment. These steps are important ones in any relationship.

Being able to commit to another living thing to keep it alive shows dedication. And if you can do it as a team, it shows that you can both put this other thing ahead of your own needs. You may be feeling tired from work, but the puppy needs to be walked so you go do it. If as a team you can commit to nurturing another living thing together then you sticking together long term should be no trouble for you two.

You both know how to budget and have similar goals

Money is one of those things in life that many people have a love hate relationship with. Of course, everyone likes having money but it so often causes issues. And we don’t mean you spent your entire pay on new shoes. We mean issues in relationships. Often couples find discussing money really difficult. It’s just one of those things that has a lot of emotion invested into it.

In order to have a successful long-term relationship with someone, you need to be on the same page or similar ones when it comes to money. This is referring to both the management of it and the goals for it. If couples have wildly conflicting views on money, it can be hard to commit to each other long term as you’re in different places. And if you don’t share at least a few common financial goals, again, it can be hard to continue the relationship. If you’re both feeling pretty good about your joint finances and everything it brings, then you are on the right track for marriage.

You’ve spent an extended period of time together

If you and your partner both work full-time or perhaps live separately, you may not have spent an extended period of time with your partner. This is imperative to seeing if you’re going to work well as a married couple. Go on holiday together or spend some time alone for a few weeks without work distractions. If you still want to be with your partner after seeing all of their annoying flaws (we’ve all got them), then perhaps you’re suited for marriage after all.

You’ve discussed your future plans

An important thing to discuss in any relationship is what you want the future to look like. For one of you this may involve marriage, a house and children. For the other it may involve travel and adventure. Some people just want different things and that’s fine, but you need to discuss it. If you both want to be in the relationship and marriage is on the cards, it’s important to consider if you’re heading to the same destination. If you’re not, then perhaps you shouldn’t be getting married. If you are then slap on the rings and say ‘I do’.

You’ve taken care of each other when you’re sick

When one member of a couple gets sick, it’s a big step in a relationship. You may never have experienced this before so it’s great for testing the strength of your relationship. People get sick all the time with colds and flus and of course you want to be with someone who will be kind and caring towards you during these times. You want someone to bring you water and food when you can’t find the strength to do it yourself and you want to do the same for them when they’re sick.

Taking care of a partner when they’re sick with something minor is important because it signifies something far greater. It is possible that in the future, you or your partner will get sick or injured with something worse than just a common cold. If this was to happen, you need to know that your partner is going to be there for you and you for them. This is what long-term commitment is like. Caring for each other during hard times and basking in the good times.

You’ve worked as a team

Working as a team to achieve a common goal is important in any relationship. You of course need to know if you can both handle being in a situation that is less than ideal without turning on each other. You need to be each other’s team mate. Doing things like going to Ikea, assembling flat-pack furniture, getting through a big family dinner, moving house or anything else that could be a little high stress as a successful team will determine whether you can handle a long-term commitment like marriage.

You both want to get married

This one is pretty obvious but it might be worth confirming with your partner if this is what they want before you start planning the honeymoon.

You can’t live without them

In the end, your partner should be someone that you can’t imagine your life without. Of course, you need to consider all of the practicalities, but you also need to be completely in love with them before you get married. Marriage is a huge commitment so make sure you’re deeply invested in and head over heels for your partner and them for you. It’s the crux of a happy marriage.